Base Move
“A” Stance
Say it: “stick”
Standing in place, align your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width with both feet parallel. Keep your feet, ankles, knees and hip joints relaxed and spring-loaded. To sustain upright balance, slip into the posture of at-ease and ready, sensing your posture as if falling up towards the sky.
When practicing “A” Stance, sense the inner and outer arches of your feet connected to the earth; this will help you to avoid collapsing inward or falling outwards. Play with moving at different speeds and sinking and rising through the three planes: high, middle and low. Use your core and upper extremities to support you in moving down and up and vice versa. As you lower, point your tailbone backwards, generating the movement from the balls of your hip joints. As you rise, press your feet into the ground.
Stand with the intent to claim the space! Benefits Increases flexibility, strength, and stability in the feet, legs, thighs, and buttocks Builds strength in the whole body Enhances agility, mobility, and stability in the foot, ankle, knee and hip joints Improves posture
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When we widen our base by stepping out with our legs to form the shape of the letter “A,” we increase our stability and our feeling of empowerment.
Throughout this week, take an A Stance –legs apart, feet parallel and knees soft– and sense your grounding. Allow the energy of being rooted to flow down and the energy of personal power to flow from the ground up through your core. Play with spinal and upper extremity mobility in the middle and high planes while in A Stance. Rock slightly back on your heels, to protect your knees, and explore your mobility and flexibility in sinking and rising movements, finding your personal range and comfort.